HRH King Albert III
HRH King Albert III (b. 2711 - d. 2798) was the dethroned Roi de Kanjor. He ascended the throne in 2759 at the age of 48, following eighteen years as pretender to the throne in exile with his mother and father in Rildanor. As a youth he was charming and likeable, and was known as the "Boy Prince" due to his boyish good looks. Although active and lively by nature, he did not possess the natural discipline and leadership capabilities of his mother, and after becoming King he proved to be a procrastinator and indecisive. Cautioned against the same fate as his mother by some advisors, while urged to act as a popular King by others, Albert proved to be very much dependent on the advice of two conflicting advisory factions at Court. He was dethroned in 2774 amid dissatisfaction with the Monarchy, and the power the ruling elite had over the King. He died in 2798. Early Life Albert was the first born 17 May 2711 as the first child of HRH Queen Louise-Elisabeth, Queen of Kanjor, and her husband consort Capitain Corbin Auclair. Albert was an active but respectful child who quickly developed a charming disposition as he met numerous international dignitaries and celebrities throughout his formative years. Education Albert was groomed for the position by attending the most prestigious educational institutions in Kanjor, just like his mother. Similar to his mother, he was educated by a governness before he attended the private and elite l'Académie Royale de l'Ilot de Tondola for both primary and secondary education. At the Academy he was a very popular student who had a reputation as a partier much like his grandfather Léopold, who likewise had an infamous reputation. Throughout his time at the Academy, Albert achieved good marks in nearly all his subjects, particularly excelling in mathematics. At seventeen he took the Brevet des cycles secondaire exams, scoring a mediocre 207 of 300 on both; he himself claimed that he sat through the test hungover and was unable to perform to his potential. Rumor has it that his mother the Queen was so enraged by this story that she refused to allow him to retake the exams and personally called the head of the examination committee to ensure that he did not apply for retesting. Despite this rumor and the exam scores, Albert gained enough credits to graduate with a Dimplome du baccalauréat scientifique. After the effective completion of secondary school at l'Académie Royale, young Albert was granted admission to the specialized École nationale supérieure mathématiques appliquées de Belfort of the prestigious Institut Polytechnique de Belfort pursuing an initial degree in Applied Mathematics. His admittance caused an outrage amongst the left-wing press, as they accused the institution of favouritism due to his blood line, and not due to his academic record. His initial degree took two and a half years after which Albert moved quickly into his pursuit of a graduate degree in the same subject but he dropped out before several credits short of graduation due to the resurgence of republican sentiments on the nation and the minor threat of the disestablishment of the monarchy. Exile For 18 years, Albert lived with his family in exile in Rildanor, and was far-removed from the politics of Kanjor. Never an overtly-political member of the Royal family, Albert had little belief he would ever become King of Kanjor, and resigned himself to a life under the protection of the Rildanorien security services. Following the kidnapping and subsequent murder of his mother , and the car bomb attack which grossly disfigured his brother Prince Henri, Albert went into hiding along with the rest of the family. Royal Duties and Reign Albert had worked in tandem with the Foreign Minister and the Ministry as King. Unlike other monarchs, which are mostly present as symbolic heads, the monarchy of Kanjor took a more active role in such negotiations. The King also served religious duties as the head of the Theognosian Church of Kanjor, appointed by His Holiness the Arch-Patriarch of the Theognosian Church. Albert, while a devout Theognosian, is less religious than his mother but attends Mass almost frequently and takes his role as head of the Kanjorien Church seriously. Even his dethronement, Albert retained his role in the Church. Marriage and Family Albert had several high-profile relationships throughout his younger years. However, he admitted in an interview published in L'Héraut that he met HIH Princess Sophie of Pontesi (b. 2711-d. 2794) when they were both seventeen and he fell instantly in love. The two maintained a long-term relationship before he proposed to her. Albert and Sophie were married at the Cathédrale nationale de Kanjor in Atyr on 21 June 2733; the service also served as the conversion of Sophie to Theognosianism. On 3 June 2754 the couple's first and only child, HRH Princess Marie Louise-Elisabeth was born. HRH Queen Consort Sophie of Pontesi died 4 June 2794 at age 83. Divisions at Court Since ascending the throne, monarchist theorists and the King's advisors have been divided over how Albert is best to pursue his reign. Conservative mandarins, primarily led by the Bishop of the Court Renard Buchan, advise the King to pursue a more reactionary line, seeking to consolidate his power and guard against attacks as happened to his mother. Buchan asserts that unless the King is bold and conservative in his approach he will become too dependent on the elected government, and his position may be untenable. Liberal advisors, such as his brother Prince Henri, instead believe that by pursuing a popular programme of openness and moderation, Albert can win the hearts of the people and ensure his survival. These divisions at the heart of his counsel have rendered Albert indecisive, and lacking in a consistent approach to his rule, at times advocating a stronger role for the Monarch, while at other times praising the work of the democracy. Dethronement Albert was removed from the throne on 3 October 2774, as Kanjor was again claimed as a republic with an elected presidential head of state. Unlike his mother's dethronement, Albert's removal was largely non-violent and the Royal Family was not threatened. Many claimed that the indecisive nature of Albert's reign had made him unpopular, and his dependency on his advisors was seen as weakness. Conservatives claimed that Albert had not be authoritarian enough, and that by tolerating opposition he had allowed himself to be removed from office. Liberals, such as his brother Prince Henri, instead blamed the reactionary ministers and advisors surrounding the King for blurring his ability to envision a direction for his reign, and isolating him from the concerns of the people. There were protests both in favor of and against the new republican regime but they remained peaceful under the watchful eyes of police. Personal Interests - Like mother, lifelong supporter of Ligue Nationale de Rugby Rugby Club Atyr (RC Atyr) Death HRH Queen Consort Sophie of Pontesi died on 24 July 2794 at the age of 83. Albert took her death hard and visited her grave weekly for the next four years. On 6 September 2798, at the age of 87, HRH King Albert III died peacefully in his sleep. He was preceded by his brother HRH Prince Henri (b. 2712-d. 2797) and his brother-in-law HRH Prince Maximilian (b. 2708-d. 2792 Age. 85).